Tips for reducing cholesterol

Cholesterol-Lowering Almond & Banana Overnight Oats

As a mum of a toddler and baby I find that my breakfasts these days are rushed, almost always interrupted and generally eaten standing up. So to make things a bit easier I now have overnight oats most mornings.

I make my overnight oats the evening before and prepare two at a time to last a couple of days. I have it in a mug so that it’s easy to eat standing up, and best of all, it doesn’t matter if my breakfast gets interrupted as it won’t spoil if left out.

This is my favourite cholesterol-friendly overnight oats recipe as it contains these top cholesterol-lowering foods:-

1. Oats

Oats are rich in cholesterol-lowering soluble fibre and have a low glycemic index to keep you feeling full for longer.

2. Almonds

Almonds are rich in nutrients and monounsaturated fats that can help to lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.

3. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds contain soluble fibre and cholesterol-lowering healthy fats. When soaked in milk, they will bulk up your overnight oats and become more easily digestible.

This recipe is really simple – basically just put the ingredients in a mug, stir, cover and put in the fridge overnight. As mentioned above, I make two at a time as they’re fine when left in the fridge for a couple of days. It doesn’t look like much when you make it, but once it has bulked out, it becomes a really satisfying and filling cholesterol-friendly meal.

Almond & Banana Overnight Oats

Information

Makes 1 serving

Preparation time: 5 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1/2 medium banana (preferably very ripe)

1/2 cup oats

1/2 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp almond butter

150ml unsweetened almond milk

Small pinch of salt

Method

Mash the banana in the mug with a fork to make it mushy.

Add the rest of the ingredients and give it a really good stir.

Cover and put in the fridge overnight.

Give it another really good stir in the morning before eating.

Notes

If the banana isn’t ripe enough, the overnight oats won’t be very sweet. If you find it’s not sweet enough in the morning, then add some raisins, or a bit of maple syrup or honey.

I use 100% almond butter for this recipe, with no added sugar or oil. My current favourite is ‘Pip & Nut Smooth Almond Butter’. You could use 100% peanut butter instead if you like, such as ‘Pic’s Crunchy’.

Semi-skimmed or skimmed cow’s milk will work just as well as unsweetened almond milk if you prefer.